Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-12

W AAOA-AAA> ~ Il O4e LIE OsS
The Matter Of s@Efficiency.'s
NE oBERLY PROBABLY MEANS WELL But HR
DOESN'T KNOW.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May II, 1887.
| To the Editor Of TIE EVENING srAn:
The new civil service rules relating to promo
lions are now the principal topic Of converse
ton In washington. Go where you win and you
near little else. And the more these rules are
| examined and scrut1nized the more impracticable
and unjust they appear. I see that the Post takes
| position that the examinations for promotions
under these rules will be made thoroughly practi-
clerk need have no approximations Of failure
"Efc1ent" In what? II the Post was better ad-
Slsea as 70 the methods Of doing business in the
this subject. A clerk may be thoroughly "efa-
gagged. and yet not able to answer 10 per cent OF
| the questions which might be propounded to him.
which be is employed. A clerk may be thoroughly
'efticient" In his particular work In any given
Of the duties and the Method Of sSeir
ance, OF clerk who sits and writes for months and
even years 10 feet away; for II he makes himself
he will have no time and no occasion to learn the
| uties OF the other clerk.
once, which are perhaps more diverse than those
| Of any other Bureau OF the Government. clerk
may be thoroughly efficient" as an examiner in
| and yet be unable to answer ten per cent Of the
questions which might be propounded to him re-
70 q any the Ds 95s
tionery and Accounts Division or the Agents Divi-
sion. A clerk may be thoroughly "eficient" as q
unable to answer five per cent OF the questions az
lectlng the general duties OF the Pension Office.
be IN the @
and yet unable to answer five per cent OF the ques
lions which might be ''1red" at him relative to
the duties Of reviewer or an examiner in one OF
the Adjudicating Divisions, or OF bookkeeper In
! the Agents or the Stationery and Accounts Divt-
! sion. Again clerk may be thoroughly reliable
practically ignorant or the work OF another clerk
equally efficient" In the Certificate Division, who
Gent" clerk the work required to be done in the
| Medical Division.
| The Mail Division Of the Pension Office, am ad-
v1Sed has one OF the most efficient mail clerks to
be found anywhere, and yet 1t Is by no means sure
| that be could answer twenty-five per cent Of the
questions That might be propounded to him by an
.e1nc1ent" clerk In the Law, Certihcate, or Agents
| Division.
am told also that in the Middle Division OF the
Pension ONCE there is one examiner who submits
! for final action an average OF one hundred cases
monthly, and yet it is exceedingly doubtful II he
could answer an ten per cent Of the questions which
atoms OF the Agents Division. Again the very best
typewr1terin the Pension ONCE could not perhaps
be- rropounded to him touching the work OF an
.efdcient" clerk in the Army and Navy Survivors
SO it will be seen that clerk performing stenct-
emily" one particular part OF the work OF the Pen
sion Office may be entirely unfamiliar with most
the sam ONCE In fact his very seiiiciency" in
his particular work is the result OF his de-
votion to that particular work, and nearly
| always results from having given atten-
ton to no other part OF the work Of the bu-
reau or division in which he is employed. Indeed
| 1t Is part OF the system adopted, think very
wisely, to prevent fraud OF collision between GOV
eminent clerks or other and also to detect
errors which often creep ID that no essential work
| OF any l bureau shall be "oegun, continued, and
| IL is said that the examinations for promotions
and to the work upon which said clerks are
engaged VIII 1t not be seen, therefore, that to be
entirely fair to each of all the clerks who are
engaged upon the various parts Of the work Of any
particular bureau, that questions be prepared upon
Inc N WORK Gsg & Sg eaeh parcYa, csrs
result, 300 clerks present themselves for exam
ination for promotion, 300 different sets OF ques-
lions must be prepared? For 1t Will surely not be
| file clerk upon the work OF an examiner or
reviewer, or rfce-persa.
missal or reduction failure to pass the required
per cent OF fOurfths, at least OF the most efficient
OF the old clerks now employed, and when we con-
| slider the new clerks who have come into the
service through the operations of the civ1service
rules, the new rules amount to practical notice
to surrender their positions at the expiration Of
| six months after an examination made pursuant
thereto; Tor 1t is not to be supposed that new
| clerk coming into any given bureau and assigned
bureau, can be so ef1 lent in the general work OF
that bureau as to enable him pass creditably an
examination upon questions touching the general
believe that your estimate as to the number OF
clerks likely to be reduced or dismissed under these
TALLY enforced is not too high, and instead OF i'm
proving the public service they will demoralize it
Indeed they have done SO already to great ex-
tent.
1t Is said that one OF the principal objects OF
these new rules Is to give the heads OF the Depart
aa G gr a od Ia and
necessary to accomplish this purpose as the heads
OF Departments already have the power OF per-
emptory dismissal, and are constantly exercising
it. Again it Is said that part of the purpose Of
these new rules is 20 get rid OF outside influence in
making promotions but neither luse is a sum
Gent reason Tor making examinations compulsory
The same effect can be produced by simply requir-
Ing that examinations must be made before pro-
These rules are, in my Judgment, impracticable,
and Will prove to be constant menace TO efficiency
In Office rather than an incentive thereto. They
WILL II strictly and 1mpartialy enforced, result In
decentralization and uncertainty, and constant
change In the clerical force OF the Departments,
and will lower instead OF elevating the present
high standard of efficiency OF this force.
am not in the CLASSIFIED service OF the Depart
ments: am not disgruntled republican, but
am democrat, and am not subject to these new
rules. There is therefore, nothing personal In the
views which nave expressed herein. They, how
ever. are Tue RESULT OF my OeuOeraIe Judgment,
and have been at some pains to advise myself as
to the probable result OF these new rules. have
great confidence in the honesty and judgment OF
Mr.. Oberiy, who, 1t is understood Is the author of
these rules. but do not believe II he had more
fully advised himself OF the methods of doing bust
ness In the various Departments, and the manner
or assigning clerks to particular parts Of Official
duties that said rules would have been formulated
In their present shape. FAIR PLAY,
The Stars and Stripes at the COngre.
EatiOnal Church.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 12, 1887.
To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
My attention having been called to your pub.
nshed remarks OF 'Jack Of the Dale, permit me to
say that probably when Jack becomes better &C.